This invention relates to internal combustion engines of either the two or four stroke cycle, and is particularly directed at providing an improved method of fuel injection.
The decline of the world's petroleum reserves has caused engine designers to seek more efficient variations of the internal combustion engine, such as those employing the highest possible compression ratios, lean mixtures and electronic regulation of engine functions. The diesel engine being the logical extension of these variations has seen increasing popularity. However, several obstacles have prevented the diesel engine from gaining widespread acceptance in the automotive field, these being primarily excessive weight required to counter the destructive effects of detonation, high noise and soot emission levels, increased cost and complexity resulting from the use of high pressure fuel injection systems, and a reduced operating speed range as compared with the conventional gasoline engines. All of these obstacles are attributable to the method of fuel injection presently employed which, by having to overcome the immense pressure developed in the engine cylinders, fails to evenly distribute a homogeneous mixture of fuel and air throughout the combustion chamber.
The disadvantages associated with the prior fuel injected engines are eliminated by the present invention and an improved engine is provided having the benefits of both direct injection and precombustion chamber designs, while eliminating the costly and complex pumps and injectors associated with both.